Edward Welch was born in Kingston, Surrey on December 14th 1889. He was the third son and fourth child of Major Howard Welch, a professional officer who died while a prisoner of war in October 1915, and his wife Minnie (née Jourdain). His family later moved to Hove and after completing his education at the College Welch enlisted as a Private in the 2nd Battalion, Hampshire Regiment, with whom he did tours of duty in South Africa and Mauritius and in 1914, India.

Following the outbreak of war Welch’s battalion landed at Gallipoli on April 25th 1915. It is unlikely, however that he served there because at some point following the outbreak of war he was detached from his battalion and posted to the Supply and Transport Corps serving with the expeditionary force in Mesopotamia. It was there that Welch died on December 22nd 1915, probably of disease.

Welch has no known grave but is commemorated on the Basra Memorial, Iraq.